Tube reducing mill



Nov. 6, 1945. G. B. coE 2,338,251

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G. B. COE

TUBE REDUCING MILL Nov. 6, 1945'.

Filed Junevz, 1944 9 sheets-sheet 9 W Y, ,W

Patented Nov. 6, .1945,

TUBE naneenzo MILL George B. Coe, Upper Montclair, N. J., assigner toRockrite Processes, Inc., Stamford, onn., a corporation of DelawareApplication June 22, 1944,`Seral No. 541,491

(Cl. Sil-14) 8 Claims.

'lhis invention relates to improvements in tube reducing millssuch, forexample, as the type of mill shown` and described in my Letters Patent`No. 1,952,841 'issued March 27, 1934 or any other type of tube millwherein the tubular stock, during each cycle of the reducing rolls orrockers,

,is given a slight increment of feed along the mandrel and ,both mandrelandtube are turned. (generally through an angle'of from 60 to' 90) topromote uniformity of reduction and evennes'so'f Working. Theimprovements with which my invention is particularly concerned are inthe mechanism for accomplishing this feeding and turning, the objectbeing not only to reduce the number of parts and thus simplifytheconstruction of such mechanism and its relation to the mill as a whole,but to prevent breakage` of the parts as when an operator, `for example,attempts to` reduce stockv the diameter of which is beyond the` normalcapacityl of' the reducing dies. Byv insuring against breakage, the-'efilcimcy of the mill isincreased through the elimination of idleperiods necessitated by repairs. y

The said improvements are embodied in `the mill shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. l (consistingof the parts la and ib and covering two sheets) isaside elevation of the assembled mill,^ with parts of the supportingframe and-base omitted forv simplicity.

referred to where, as here, the mandrel is denoted by M; the tubularstock to be reduced by (S, the main drive motor by DM, the pair ofreducing rockers (in which the reducing dies are mounted)` by R, and thereciprocating framefor saddle for the rockers by RF. Since reducing,elements of the oscillating rockerI type having. a reciprocating frameor saddle are well known and since those hereyshownhave been fullydescribed in mysaid earlier patent (at line '78 p.1,to line 60 p. 2thereof) and since my present improvements may valso be applied to amill having con- Fig. 2 (consistingof the parts 2a, and 2b and V alsocovering two sheets) is a top plan view thereof.l

Fig..3 is a'larger Ascale view, partly Vin elevation and partly insection, of'a cam box with a side broken away, the plane of the sectionbeing indicated by the line-3 3 of Fig. 2a.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view ci said cam box with tinuously rotatingreducing rolls of the pilger type (such as are shown and described, forexample, in my Letters Patent No. 1,933,314 `issued 'October- 31, 1933),a detailed description of the reducing elements is unnecessary here fora complete understanding of my improvements.

1 prefer, in any embodiment of my improvements; -to keep thesamerelation that appears in each of my aforesaid LettersPatent, betweenthe feeding of the stock along the mandrel and l the turning/of thestock and mandrel during each reducing orv operating cycle; that is tosay, while the stock and mandrel may, if desired, be turned at the sametime as the stock is given its incremental forward feed, 1 prefer (andhavetherefore illustratedmy improvements accordingly) t that thereducing or `operating cycle shall be as follows, assuming thebeginning4 of each cycle to A be coincident with `an incremental feed.of 'the stock: (l) incremental feed of stock (2) working stroke of dies(3) turning of stock andimandrel (4) return stroke of dies to theirposition for beginning the next cycle.

In accordance with my present improvements, l'. provide twofluid-operated one-wayv clutches to actuate the feeding and turningmechanisms reits lid removed, the same being partlyin section and ori4the scale of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in .elevation and partly ,in section, of aclutch box withthe sidefrom which it is viewed removed,'the scale beingthe' same as that of Fig. 3.

l Fig. 6 is a top plan view of said clutch box with itsl lidremoved,-this view being also partly I.in section and on the scale ofFig. 3, the plane of the section being indicated by the line '6-6 .oiFig. 5:' and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detailgviews of a gear shiftmechanism, the views of Figs."7 and 9 being taken from opposite sidesand that of Fig. 8 being a section indicated by the line 8-8 of Fig.-'1.

In its general design, the mill here shown is like that illustrated ininy earlier patent above spectively and I coordinate their respectiveoperationis in properly timed relationto eachother and in synchronis'mwith the reducing cycle, by

a cam or other ysuitable timing mechanism. But

it'will beunderstood-of couse, that if the feeding lof the stock ,andthe t rning of the stock, and mandrel are to occur at the same moment inthe reducingcy'cle, onl

4 required.

I will now describe the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawingswhere said feeding and' turning occur in alternation, Vthat is, wherethe feeding of the stock directly precedes,` and the turning of thestock and mandrel4 di'- rectly `follows, the working stroke of the dies.

` The tubular stock S to be reduced is nrmly gripped and held at itsrear end (Fig. la) in one clutch .will be the jaws of a collet Iattached to the .hub of a gear 2 journaled in a head SF slidable uponrails 3 of the mainframe of the mill; and a hand wheel 4 threaded in thehead is provided in oprestricted thereby from having any axial movementis a nut 8 (Fig. 6) engaging the threads of said shaft so that as thenut rotates the shaft is driven forward and, in turn, drives the head SFforward to feed the stock to the reducing dies.

The mandrel M is turn'ably Secured at its rear end to a base block 9(Figs. 1a and 2a) and, during the reduction of the stock, the mandrelextends through the shaft 5 (which is made hollow for this purpose) andthen through the stock itself so that the forward ltapered. end of theAmandrel may rest in its voperative position within the grooves o'f thereducing dies.- When one length of stock has been reduced, the mandrelis drawn backwardly from the dies to its rearward position to permit.the introduction of a new length, for which purpose the block 9 isslidable on the rails 3 'and may be drawn back and likewise returned to,operative .position by a sprocket chain I0 connected thereto andoperated in either direction by an auxiliary motor ll.

The one-way clutches to which I have referred are indicated at vI2 andI3 in Fig. 5 and may be of the well known Horton type. Both are providedwith pressure-adjustable brake bands I4 erative relation to the colletfor clamping and; '5

Ierly timedA relation to each other and in synchronism with th'ereducing rockers, I preferably interpose a cam 21 (Figs. 3 and 4) in thedriving connections from the main motor DM, which connections include,besides the cam, a shaft 28,

` and gears 29 and 30, while the reciprocation of the frame RF (whichactuates the rockers) is accomplished through -driving connections withthe main motor DM which include reducing gearing 3|, a shaft`-32, twopairsl of balanced gears 3,3 and 34, and a pair of crank arms 35 (Figs.lb and 2b). 'I'he gear r3Il togetherlwith the cam 21 and itsassociatedparts may be enclosed in a cam box or housing 36 fixed to the frame ofthemill. The parts associated with the cam comprise, in the presentcase, a frame 31I reciprocable in bearings 38 and having rollers 39which bear on opposite sides of,v the cam, and attached to each end ofsaid frame 31 respectively are plungers 40 and 4I of fluid-pressurecylinders' 42 and 43 formed integrally with the cam box. The uidpressurecylinders 42 and 43 of the cam box communicate, through lines 44 and 45,with the fluidpressure cylinders I1 and 22 respectively housed in thecasing or clutch box 1.

The aforesaid gearing connections from the .main motor DM which drivethe rocker frame RF, and the gearing connections from said motor whichdrive 4the cam 21 are so related that one complete revolution of the camtakes place synchronously withone complete reciprocationof the rockerframe which determines-the reducing cycle. And assuming, as before, thatthis cycle begins with the feeding of the stock, the cam is so disposedin relation to the main motor DM and its gearing connections with therocker frame to prevent backward movement of their driven members and tocheck their forward movement instantaneously when actuation by theirdriving members ceases. The driving member of clutch I2 is keyed to ashaft I5 whichA isactuated by a piston I6 in a fluid-pressurel cylinderI1, and lits driven memberfis attachedrto a gear I 8 which turns freelyon shaft I 5`an'd meshes with a shiftable gear I9 constantly in meshwith a gear 29 attached to or integral with thenut 8 (Fig.'6). Thus,upon each actuation of the clutch l2 by the piston I6, the nut 8 isrotated slightly and causes the head SF to move forward and therebyimpart an increment of feed to the stock at Athe beginning of eachreducing cycle.

The driving member of the other clutch la isl actuated by a piston 2| ina duid-pressure cylinder 22, and its driven member is keyed to'a shaft23. The latter has two gears 24 and' 25 (Fig. 1a) keyed thereto. A gear26 keyed to the mandrelmeshes with the gear 24 when the mandrel is inits forward or operative position, and

. the gear 25 is constantly in mesh with the gear 2 to which, as alreadystated, the stock-holding collet I is attached. Thus, upon eachactuation 'of the clutch 'I3 by the piston 2|, both the man- V drel andstock are turned through a predeterminedy angle (say from 60 to 90) at.the end of the working stroke in each reducing cycle so that upon thereturn stroke of the dies the latter will tend to loosen the stock fromthe mandrel, smooth out any irregularities therein, and otherwise eilecta uniform working of the stock.

To cause the clutches to' be actuated 'in PNP that it will force theplunger 40 into cylinder 42 immediately preceding the working stroke ofthe dies, thus causing an increment of feed' of the 'served that whenone of these plungers is driven in to its corresponding cylinder, theother plunger-l slecured as it is to the opposite endof the frame 31,will be withdrawn from its cylinder so that each plunger will be inoperative position to actuateits associated clutch at the proper momentin each cycle.

To provide means-for adjusting the length of the stock feed stroke, acylindrical reservoir 46 (Fig. A5) may be formed in the pressure line 44.and provided with an adjustable piston head 41 `which may be moved to'and held in any desired positionthrough a hand wheel 48 which operates ascrew 49 threaded in the end of the reservoir and attached to saidhead... The hand Wheel may have its periphery shaped so as to indicatethe position of the head in the reservoir by pointing to calibrations ona plate 5,0 attached `to the side of the housing 1. Similar means may beintroduced into'the other pressure line 45 for adjusting the length ofthe stock and mandrel turning stroke and for indicating the length forwhich it is adjusted. Means may valso be provided to enpistons in thecylinders I1 and 22 are operating at full stroke or, in other words,whether there is leakage of fluid from either of the pressure linescontrolling the clutches. Such means may comprise pointers 5Ifor'registerlng with marks 52 on the lpiston rods so that whenever thepointers and assenti Moreover, it will he seen thatlmy improved feedingand turning mechanism permits a very simple means to be provided toprevent the breakage of any working parts which become accidentallyloaded beyond their normal capacity as, ior example, where tubular stockis introduced into the lil mill which has an outside diameter too largeto be handled conveniently loy the. dies: for breakage, iny any such[case may he readily insured against by `introducing relief valves, as53, in the, pressure lines 4d and to, such valves to be set to limit.

To insurethereturn -strokes of the pistons i6 and 2l, a constant hutsubstantially lower pres-v sure may he supplied on their opposite sidesthrough pipes .5d which communicate with an accumulator (not shown)wherein a liquid or gas tion of the mill.' For example, it'may he usedto control the locking and unlocking of the mandrel length still left inthe mill and impart to the prior yield Whenever the pressure exceeds thesafety in its forward ,or operative position, against the backwardthrust of the dies.

frame of the mill, have plungers 55 adapted to he slid inwardly againstthe rear end of the manI drei-holding block when the latter is in itsmovements of the shiftable gear is which is con-A stantly'in mesh withthe gear 20 attached to the feed nut d. As has already been seen, thisshift- .As shownin Fig. 2a,` two cylinders 55, one on 'each side of themain able gear, during the reduction of the stock, is

also in mesh with the gear llwhich is actuated yby the feed clutch l2.When, however, the feedv `valve 5'! is operated to shift the gear i9back to i itsnormal position after the head SF has been returned to itsstarting position. When `a new length of stock isto be introduced intothe mill, the motor DM, if running, is stopped,l the inandrei head hisunlocked andthe auxiliary motor il operated to draw the mandrel to itsrearward` position. Then,rafter clamping the new length of stock' inposition through`the hand wheel d and' causing the mandrel to bereturned to and locked in its operative position, the main motor switchis thrown to start the mill in operation.

Itwill 'be understood that after a new length of stool: has beenintroduced into the inill, this new length will abut against the rearend of the prior length the same increments of feed which it itselfreceives directly from the stock feeding mecha nism, until `the priorlengthhas been advanced through and completely reduced by the dies; andalso that the shaft 23, through which the stock is turned, may heextended, as shown, to the-front endl of the mill beyond the dies andconnected 'to means, as indicatedin Figsl, lo and 2b of the drawings,for turning the prior length of stock as it advances through the dies. t

i claim as my invention:

1. In artuhe reducing mill, the combination with a mandrel, a pair ofcooperating dies and actuating mechanism therefor to reduce the stock,of means for feeding Ithe stock along' the mandrel to the 'diesincluding a one-way clutch and a fluid-pressure line having at one end apiston connected to the driving member of the clutch and at the otherend a plunger, means toV hold the mandrel from longitudinal movementwhile the stock is being fed, means positively connut has advanced thehollow threaded shaft 5 and the headSF attached thereto to the limit oftheir forward positions, the head SF contacts a sliding cam 59 which,through its cooperating roller 6d, actuates a lever di carrying theafore said shiftahle gear it. The lever tl swivels on a fixed bracket d2and thereby, when thehead SF has reached its forward position, shiftssaid 'gear I9 from its meshing position with the gear it into positionto mesh with a reversing gear t3 driven by a gear 6d keyed on the shaft65 of an auxiliary motor te. With the4 shiitahle gear l@ in thisposition, the operation of the motor t6 will rapidly and continuouslyrotate the feed nut t in a re'- verse direction to return the hollowthreaded shaft 5 and its attached head SF. to their starting positions,where the head may contact and trip an electric limit switch tl thusstopping the auxiliary motor t6. if now,r the handle of `valve 51hemanually returned to its original position, theslidable cami will beactuated to move the shiftable gear E91 hack into its normal positioninA mesh with the gear i t. Ordinarily, although not.

necessarily, the main motorswitch (not shown) will be thrown to stop they motor DM before the 75 nected to both the mandrel and 'the stock forturning the mandrel and stock including a one.

way ciutchand 'a ui'd-pressureline having at one end a piston connectedto the driving member of the second named clutch and at the other i enda. plunger, and means operatively connected with theactuating mechanismofthe dies to actuate both of said plungers in a predetermined timerelation to each other and to the actuation of the dies. I

2. In a tube reducing mill, the combination set forth in claim 1 andfurther characterized by this: that the means to actuate both pluneerscomprises a earn geared to the actuating mechanism of the diesl 3. In atube reducing mill, the combination set forth in claim 1 and furthercharacterized bythe following:4 a longitudinally movable-threaded shaftoperativelyconnected to the stock, a nut threaded upon said shaft and,operatively connected to the driven member of the `rst named clutch,and means toV restrain said `:nut from movement in an axial direction.

4. In a tube reducing mill, the combination 'set forth in claim 1 andlfurther characterized by the following: a longitudinally movablethreaded shaft operatively connected to the stock, a n t threaded uponsaid shaft, means to restrain sa d nut from movement in an axialdirection, a gear..

with a mandrel and a pair oi' cooperating dies to reduce the stock onthe mandrel, of means for assaasi l v'1.` In a tube reducing mill, thecombination set K forth-in claim 5 and further characterized by thefeeding.the stock along the mandrel to the dies including a one-wayclutch, a duid-pressure cyl` inder, a piston in the cylinder connectedto the `driving member Vof said clutch, a, slidable head,

operative connections from the driven member of said clutch to saidhead, and a rotatable collet carried by said headand to which the stockis secured, means for turning the stock and the mandrel including aone-way clutch, a uidpressure cylinder, a piston in the latter cylinderconnected to the driving member of the second Y named clutch,n andoperative connections" from the driven member of the second named clutchto both the mandrel and said rotatable collet, and means for controllingthe actuation of said pistons in a predetermined time relation to eachother.

6.' In a tube reducing mill, the combination set forth in claim 5 andfurther characterized by the Afollowing: that thev `operativeconnections from the driven member of the first named clutch' to saidslidable head include a longitudinally movable threaded shaft t'o whichsaid head is secured,

a nut threaded upon said shaft and operatively 'all following: that theloperative connections from the driven member of the first named clutchto said slidable head include a longitudinally movable hollow threadedshaft connected at its forward end to' said slidable head, a nutthreaded upon said shaft and operatively connected to the driven memberof said first named clutch, and

-nrieans'to restrain said nut from movement in l axial direction, themandrel vextending through' said hollov shaft and said head to the dies,and that means are provided to withdraw the mandrel rearwardly to permitthe introduction of new stock. o

- 8. In a, tnbe reducing mill, the combination set forth in claim 5 andfurther characterized by the following: that the operative connectionsfrom the driven member of the second named clutch to both the mandreland said rotatable collet'include a shaft operatively connected withconnected to the driven member of said nrst namedv clutch, and means torestrain said nut from movement in an axial direction.

the driven member of said second named clutch, l

a gear on said shaft, a gear on the mandrel adapted to mesh with said*`gear, a gear keyed to and movable along said shaft, anda gear on therotatable collet i'n mesh with the last named gear. l e.

, GEORGE B. COE.

